A new blueprint imagines a greater role for a robotic workforce and more advanced technology in the health service as well as the long-term introduction of electronic medical records for patients.
The plan, given Cabinet approval today, will include technology that allows a computer program or robot to take over more tasks currently absorbing staff time.
“Robots can be developed to mimic repetitive, mundane, and labour-intensive work, freeing up the workforce to focus on higher-value activities such as problem-solving, exception handling, troubleshooting, and customer facing activities,” it said.
The HSE was already using robotic process automation to automate a number of routine, repetitive, and labour-intensive tasks, it said.
During the pandemic, machine learning was used to analyse the nature of queries from people contacting the health service and those insights were used to design the online portals for digital Covid certs.
The plan is revealed in the ‘Digital for Care: A Digital Health Framework for Ireland 2024-2030’ report, published today.
It sets out a “roadmap to digitally transform health services in Ireland and improve access for patients”.
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The plan, which currently has no price tag, will this year see the the roll-out of a patient app that will provide people with medical history and records.
Next year will see introduction of a “shared care record” to integrate patient records no matter what part of the health service they engage with. A longer-term deployment of electronic health records, a one-stop shop on each person’s health information, accessible throughout the service, is also included.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said: “Digital technology now extends throughout most aspects of our daily lives. We use it at work, at home, in our social lives, when we look for information, book flights or pay for goods or services. The public demand no less in healthcare.
“This Digital Health Framework for Ireland (2024 – 2030) sets out a clear ambition for the future. A future that harnesses the power of data, digital technology, and innovation, to widen access to health and social care services, provide improved affordable and equitable care, better patient safety and greater productivity”.
This year will see the introduction of virtual wards in some hospitals where a patient who should be in hospital is being monitored electronically at home. University Hospital Limerick is one of the hospitals where it will be piloted in an attempt to free up desperately needed beds.
There will also be more use of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to help with the management of waiting lists and use of SMS appointment reminders for patients to cut down on no-shows.
It is planned to start the procurement of a solution for national electronic prescribing and also continue to invest in GP systems and key data sources.
Another aim is to “leverage maximum value electronic health record systems” deployed at existing hospitals and continue the deployment across the larger maternity hospitals and the New National Children’s Hospital (NCH).
It also envisages continuing to build cyber resilience through the implementation of recommendations of the post-incident report following the ransomware attack in 2021 including 24/7 enhanced cyber security operations.